Shimano Stradic FJ 1000

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There is a lot to like about this little reel and the first thing is the price. At $200 you will be hard pressed to find a reel that presents and performs as good as this one does. For a reel that sits at a less than midway price point it is packed with features that you’ll find on a lot of Shimano’s high end reels. 5 ARB bearings and 1 roller bearing (rare on reels at this price point and the difference between a reel that has troubles in six months or three years), X Ship, Propulsion spool management, Aerowrap 2 and Paladin Gearing all aid in making this a very cool little reel. It seems that the Stradic FJ has been left out of the limelight a little by its older brother the Stradic CI4. I own both and while the CI4 is a lighter reel the weight reduction is minimal. I find the FJ to be just as fluid as the CI4 and the drag just as smooth. While it may come down to personal preference and is irrelevant to performance, I think the FJ is one Shimano’s best looking reels. The white, chrome and gold finishing’s look awesome and again not something you’ll often find in reels of this price point.

The FJ 1000 has a gear ratio of 6.0:1 which makes it a very versatile reel that will allow you to spin slugs at high speed for salmon and tailor if they come along while your targeting bream and flathead. Often in reels at this price point line management can be an issue as can casting, neither of these things are an issue with the FJ. The spool design allows for uninterrupted casting and line comes back on the spool nicely. The 1000 is packed with 5kg of drag, and although you’ll never really need anywhere near this much drag in a reel of this size, it’s nice to know the drag can take a lot more pressure than what you’ll ever be dishing out.

The FJ 1000 is a great reel for a beginner that wants a high quality product that will last them many years or the experienced angler on a budget. I’ve been using the FJ for a year now targeting trout, squid, bream and flathead and have had no issues at all, it’s one of my favourite reels and I have many that are twice and three times the price of this.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Hooked Up

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